wow ….. or Judas?

On the evening of May 17th 1966, in the Manchester Free Trade Hall, Bob Dylan strapped on an electric guitar - and a voice in the audience shouted “Judas”.  That cry, picked up by recording equipment in the hall, echoed around the world. It was a while before the new electric Bob Dylan gained acceptance, but I guess there are still diehards who regret the passing of acoustic Bob.

There are people in the bike world who feel the same about strapping an electric motor onto an ordinary push bike.  Someone (a proper cyclist), with a similar lung and heart condition as me, recently said that he would “rather die than ride an electric bike …. they’re not proper bikes and should be banned…”  - and that I should give up trying to ride a bike.  

My reply went beyond the realms of decency, but I am staggered that, like electric Bob, the idea should cause such deep resentment.

But enough of that; here’s the bike - motor fitted - out on its first test run today.  Wow. (I keep saying wow all the way home).

(Fans of Father Ted can re-imagine the ‘small = far away’ sketch with the man in the boat instead of cows).

There was a time ( a very long time ago) when I could ride 100 miles or more in a day.  Not exactly a walk in the park - more a drunken stagger through treacle, with legs shackled together - but considerably more than I can manage these days.  10 miles if I’m lucky and there are no hills.

Today was a breeze.  I still have to do work - the motor only kicks in when I pedal, so there’s no free ride - and it cuts out when I hit 15 mph - but my dream of cruising past Anniemay with a cursory “ciao baby” has finally been realised.


In other news - a pair of Peregrine Falcons have nested and safely raised a chick in the roof of the  MK Dons football stadium.  Peregrine Falcons - in Milton Keynes!  Wow indeed.